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Occasionally, I will mention my job, my public service activities, and other aspects of my life to offer my readers a better perspective on where I'm coming from. But to be clear:

"The views that I express represent my own opinions, based on my own education and experience, not the opinions of any other entity, party, or group to which I belong. I give these opinions in my individual capacity, as a private citizen, and as someone who gives a good gosh darn about his community, his country, and the truth."

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Saturday, November 28, 2009

Health Care: Small Business Sees Need for Uncle Sam Insurance

The Chamber of Commerce and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin obviously aren't speaking for small business. The Main Street Alliance recognizes that health insurance reform is good for business, not to mention our fellow Americans:

Rick Poore spent $61,000 in health insurance premiums last year for the employees of his Lincoln screen print and embroidery business.

Over the past 10 years, the premiums Poore helps pay for his employees' health insurance have gone up close to 120 percent, he said.

In early November, Poore joined a group of eight small business owners on a trip to Washington to try to persuade representatives and senators to support health care reform legislation.

"It'll put money back in the pockets of employers and employees," said Poore, who owns Design Wear.

He said he believes health care reform would put as much as $12,000 back in his pocket each year and up to $400 back in each of his employees' pockets.

He said soaring insurance premiums have prevented him from providing insurance to all of his 33 employees and from investing in his business to remain competitive [emphasis mine; Kevin Abourezk, "Small Business Owners Take up Health Reform Fight," Lincoln Journal Star, 2009.11.28].

And how do small business owners like Poore feel about the public option? Hannah Ledford, the Main Street Alliance's Nebraska director, interviewed 118 small business owners. She found 60% of them want Uncle Sam Insurance. 25% want only private insurance. 15% are undecided.

2 comments:

Our church provides health care for our preacher and his wife. The cost is $400 a month with a $1000 deductable.

The problem of high health care costs is twofold. One, we have shipped millions of low wage jobs overseas that used to be filled with workers here. These jobs used to provide tax receipts for medicare and allowed a worker an income to buy his healthcare. Now, that low skilled worker is on federal benefits and not paying into medicare. Two, costs rise because our nation is getting older. It is expensive to provide nursing home care, open heart surgery, and prescription drug benefits.

We could look long range and place America first by providing grants and tax breaks for buying insurance. We could improve our immigration system by promoting two things that no other nation in the world offers - freedom and opportunity. We need the young of the world to make America their home.

We pay for this by making other countries pay for our military staying in their countries. We charge an access fee to China to import all their goods into America. We also get serious about stopping medicare fraud.

The best way to fight health care costs right now is to take advantage of the Community Center programs. For just over $40 a month for a family, you can swim, run, play BB and racket ball and lift weights. One meal for a family of 4 costs more money. You can relieve stress, have a little fun and get into better shape.

My wife and I take it up a notch with exercise classes and a personal trainer. After two years of working with a trainer, I am faster and stronger than I've been in years. I don't have the chronic ailments that many of my HS classmates now have.

The politicians can do what they want but I'm not waiting for them. I'm taking control of my own destiny now by being more active.